Sele-acting ntppek-block



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. WHIPPLE, Jr. NIPPER BLOCK.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. WHIPPLE, Jr.

' NIPPER BLOCK.

No. 12,928. Patented May 22, 1855.

Tu: mums PETERS 00, wompmo. WASHINDYDN. 0 c.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

JONATHAN WHIPPLE, JR., OF MILFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

SELF-ACTING NIPPER-BLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 12,928, dated May 22, 1855.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JONATHAN WHIPPLE,

Jr., of Hopedale, town of Milford, county of \Vorcester, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Self-Acting Nipper- Block; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a View of one side of said block. Fig. 2 is an end view and Fig. 3 is a sectional View showing the other side of the pulley with the lever attachment.

A is the pulley; B, Fig. 2, the ratchet wheel; C, c, pawls; D, (Z, levers; E, jaw or nipper, and e, metallic spring acting against pawl C; F, Fig. 2, pin for lowering; Gr, Fig. 3, connecting plate or arm; H, hand lever; I I, cheek plates, &c.

The nature of my said improvements consists, first, in making said blocks to operate with one wheel or pulley instead of two, and so constructing said wheel or pulley A, with the ratchet wheel B, pawls C, c, levers D, d, and jaw or nipper E attached as to make it self acting. The upper side of the jaw or nipper E being made of the same curvature and having a groove for holding the rope, as the pulley, said jaw or nipper is attached to the lever D by a bolt or otherwise, forming its axis, on which it turns to adapt itself to the periphery of the pulley A. And the rope or fall when passing in the direction see arrow X for hoisting, runs freely around said wheel or pulley A as in the common block or pulley, to which rope or fall a horse, or any other power may be attached, and the instant the power is removed, or ceases to act in the direct-ion for hoistingthe tension of the rope by the weight, in the opposite direction denoted by arrow Y, around the ratchet wheel B to act against the pawl C, pressing down one end of the connected lever D, thus forcing up the other end with the aw or nipper E against the rope which grips or holds it fast against the pulley A, and thus sustains the weight at any point desired, which weight may be lowered by pressing down lever (Z, the end of which acts against the pawl C, and opens the jaw or nipper. The rope then runs or slides in the groove of the pulley which remains stationary and by taking a turn or two around pulley A, causes the pin F, the weight is lowered at pleasure. Or I may attach to said nipper block a knee lever, for working the same by hand power, as seen in, Fig. 1, and Fig. 3. This lever is attached by means of a plate or arm G, Fig. 3, extending from the axis at the center of pulley A, a suitable distance beyond the periphery of the pulley to admit of a jaw or nipper 2, between the pulley and lever H. The end of this lever next to the jaw is a cam, (seen in Fig. 3,) with a projection on the other side extending a little by the rim of the pulley, (seen in Fig. 1). This lever is connected to the plate or arm G, by a bolt and nut, forming its fulcrum. The jaw or nipper 2, is inserted between the plate or arm G, and the projecting end of the lever, leaving sufficient room for the rope to pass between the pulley and jaw or nipper 2, within the grooves, (the upper side of said jaw or nipper being constructed the same as the nipper E) and said jaw or nipper 2, is kept in its place by projections on it, between which the plate or arm G passes, and is thus allowed to work freely toward or from the pulley A so that when power is applied to the lever H, moving its end upward the cam works against the nipper and presses or grips the rope to the pulley which turns with the lever thus making the purchase as many fold as desired according to the length of the arm of the lever H. The weight being held by the jaw or nipper E, the arm of the lever H is dropped down, which opens or loosens the grip and the plate and jaw slide down to take another bite on the rope, which operation is repeated until the weight is raised to the desiredkheight. This lever may be disconnected from the block, by removing the nut and taking out the bolt which forms its fulcrum, the plate or arm G will fall down out of the way and allow the removal of the jaw 2 and lever H. The block is then ready for the application of any other power to the rope or fall; such as horses, oxen, &c.

The pawl C, Fig. 1, acting in the small ratchet on the upper side of lever D, serves to keep the arm of the lever from raising up too high when the large pawl C, is operating and by disconnecting both pawls from their ratchets and throwing up the arm of lever D, the jaw or nipper E is thrown open sufficiently to admit the rope or fall being placed between the jaw and pulley without the trouble of passing the end through.

I make my self acting nipper blocks above described, of various sizes, and of any ma- This block is designed to be fastened down permanently to any place desired-as the deck of a vessel, foot of a derrick, leg of the shears or other fixture for hoisting, and the rope or fall, leading down from the blocks. &c., is passed under it by opening the jaw as above described. A horse or other power may then be attached to the rope, and the weight will be held atany point when the draft ceases. Or the rope may be placed between nipper 2 affixed, and worked by hand power as herein described.

Having thus fully described my improvements in the self acting nipper block, with their operations what I claim asnew and my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent as an improvement, is-

The construction of the same with one wheel or pulley combined with a ratchet wheel, pawls and levers, and jaw or nipper, substantially as set forth and described.

JONATHAN \VHIPPLE, JR. WVitnesses:

D. A. DABoLL, NATHAN DABOLL. 

